Earnside vs Braintree
Earnside vs Braintree: Getting more from your existing payment infrastructure
Braintree (a PayPal company) offers competitive rates at scale and solid developer infrastructure. But most Braintree merchants still have room to reduce fees through better interchange qualification, statement optimization, and proactive renegotiation — which is exactly what Earnside does.
Earnside pricing model
Audit + ongoing savings management on top of Braintree
Braintree pricing model
Blended or interchange-plus gateway pricing
Earnside typical rate
Your Braintree rate, then further reduced through audit & negotiation
Braintree typical rate
2.59% + $0.49 standard · Interchange-plus for high volume
Earnside monthly fee
$0 upfront — we earn on verified savings
Braintree monthly fee
No monthly fee for standard; custom pricing for enterprise
Earnside contract
Month-to-month
Braintree contract
Custom contracts for large merchants
Feature comparison
| Feature | Earnside | Braintree |
|---|---|---|
| Works alongside Braintree | Yes — fully compatible | N/A (is your processor) |
| Interchange-plus pricing | We negotiate it into your contract | Available at volume |
| Ongoing rate renegotiation | Annual & triggered by volume changes | Ad hoc, merchant-initiated |
| Statement audit & fee recovery | Full audit included | Not offered |
| PayPal & Venmo acceptance | Via Braintree integration | Native, best-in-class |
| Developer API quality | Via your processor | Enterprise-grade |
| Performance-based pricing | Pay on savings only | Fixed markup model |
| Dedicated account management | Yes | Enterprise tier only |
About Braintree
Braintree is PayPal's enterprise payment gateway, targeting mid-market and enterprise merchants. It offers interchange-plus pricing at higher volumes, a powerful API, and support for PayPal, Venmo, and cards in a single integration. Still, merchants often leave savings on the table without ongoing rate management.
Our take
Braintree and Earnside are not mutually exclusive — many Earnside clients continue processing on Braintree while we optimize their rate structure, improve interchange qualification, and reduce ancillary fees. Think of Earnside as the savings layer on top of your existing Braintree relationship.
See how much you could save
Upload your last statement and we'll show you where Braintree or your current processor is overcharging you — at no cost.